I haven't enjoyed a RPG this much since Final Fantasy X. I hope they make a sequel.
Lost Odyssey is the best RPG in six years
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Its an awesome game, I agree. I don't know if its the best RPG since FF10, because Kotor and Oblivion were both right up there. But imo its definitely the best FF-style RPG since FF10. The game basically IS Final Fantasy, just under a different name. Which I think is awesome and hilarious.
Goes to show you how franchise-driven the industry is though. If Lost Odyssey had the FF name behind it I have no doubt in my mind that it would have scored in the A range across the board (which I think it should have) instead of the B and C range scores it got at some outlets (like this one). Outside of the random battle arguement, I can't find much wrong with LO.
What a great cast of characters too.
Its an awesome game, I agree. I don't know if its the best RPG since FF10, because Kotor and Oblivion were both right up there. But imo its definitely the best FF-style RPG since FF10. The game basically IS Final Fantasy, just under a different name. Which I think is awesome and hilarious.
Goes to show you how franchise-driven the industry is though. If Lost Odyssey had the FF name behind it I have no doubt in my mind that it would have scored in the A range across the board (which I think it should have) instead of the B and C range scores it got at some outlets (like this one). Outside of the random battle arguement, I can't find much wrong with LO.
What a great cast of characters too.
EdgecrusherAza
I haven't played Lost Odyessy but it definately looks like a game to pick up in the future. I originally had doubts with it but it looks like it pulled through. I'm glad it's doing well (though it's dropping and that makes me sad, hopefully it will get some legs) because to me it seems that games on the current-generation consoles: #1 Wannabe PC titles, #2 Copy Pasters (I.E. Devil May Cry 4). There's also the Wii which I don't even want to get into. Basically (IMO) the current generation consoles are lacking high production valued console type games which gets me in dismay *I rhymed!*. Yes I know some consoles are still building their foundations but WTF this soon going to be what the 3rd year of this generation and the only console stylled games to look forward to are mostly the same ones that were annouced at E3 '06 oreven 05? Yeah Final Fantasy XIII, Infinite Undiscovery, and Resident Evil 5 look awesome, but I've been merely "looking" at these games for what could be said years.
With the whole "the name says it all". I completely agree with this. I find it even more funny that people think games are superior to others due to their name or ego. I still remember laughing my ass off when it wasn't Mass Effect (Bioware's new IP smash hit) or The Witcher (The Testament to the oldschool adult RPG's). No it was Persona 3, a sub-series to the cult Shin Megami Tensei series. People kept making outlandish remarks like: "It's a PS2 game!", "The game lacks depth since it's a JRPG!" (LOL @ SMT not being a deep series), "It only won because of all of the weabos on this site!", when in reality you could easily tell that none of them played the game.
I actually wrote a detailed topic about my feelings of the impact of a games name or ego. I think you might be interested.
[QUOTE="Hikaru_Isamu"]Wow, really? What about Knights of the Old Republic, Fable, Morrowind, and Oblivion, just to name a few?HiResDes
None of those are jgrps.
Well, to be fair, the topic title doesn't specify...:P But I do agree that LO is the best jrpg in a hell of a long time. Better than Morrowind though? Not even close.
The sad part is that the game score is based on a pre-released version of the game which has bad loadind time. If you read the review itself, it does say it is one of the best old school JRPG in these few years. But the experience was broken because the reviewers was playing the buggy version. Of course, most people just look at the scores.
But I think the community will keep it alive. As long as people like it and spread the word, it will build up the franchise. I haven't play it yet, I am waiting from gamefly, It will take awhile.
magicalclick
Hold on you're renting it, :x You're part of the problem :P I think the 4 disc game is worth the 60 bucks, if not for the awesome dream writing stuff alone.
I haven't enjoyed a RPG this much since Final Fantasy X. I hope they make a sequel.
blackice005
Like I've said in relation to Crisis Core, Rogue Galaxy, Jade Empire and Mass Effect its distressing how some people think garbage gameplay/game design is acceptable in rpgs. I haven't played Lost Odyssey (fascinatingly, MS decided to throw a ton of advertising dollars behind it, but decided that offering a demo wouldn't be a good idea) but I watched a ton of gameplay videos in the run-up to its release and sloppy is the only word to describe what I saw. Waiting long seconds for the random encounters to load, then having three characters appear on one side and three characters line up on another, then watching them take turns s-l-o-w-l-y attacking each other is just painful. And don't even get me started on the indifference with which the characters regard combat (as a massive monster charges towards them, people should be bracing or trying to dodge, not stretching and yawning).
Its a crying shame that Nautilus (who coded LO under the name Feelplus) has been reduced to coding unambitious games for Sakaguchi. Shadow Hearts 2 (which was interesting in that it was a direct sequel to SH1) was a superb game which played out a lot like FFX but whose combat was differentiated by the Judgement Wheel (which was implemented much better than it was in SH1). I don't think the FF series coasts on its name (the designers change things up in the mainline games quite a bit) but the fact that FF7 popped the cherry of many modern rpg players is the only thing that that can explain the warm reception for the FF games and the relatively cold reception for all other jrpgs.
From a design standpoint, so much has happened since FFX (think FFX-2, Shadow Hearts 2, SMT: Nocturne, Persona 3 and FF12) that a game that is content to merely offered a stuck in molasses version of FFX's combat (minus the mid combat member swapping) doen't impress me in the slightest. But as I said in my opening paragraph, there are people for whom the gameplay/game design of rpgs is irrelevant... As a guy who cares about gameplay and game design, I am still waiting for a meaningful next-gen jrpg.
[QUOTE="blackice005"]I haven't enjoyed a RPG this much since Final Fantasy X. I hope they make a sequel.
CarnageHeart
Like I've said in relation to Crisis Core, Rogue Galaxy, Jade Empire and Mass Effect its distressing how some people think garbage gameplay/game design is acceptable in rpgs. I haven't played Lost Odyssey (fascinatingly, MS decided to throw a ton of advertising dollars behind it, but decided that offering a demo wouldn't be a good idea) but I watched a ton of gameplay videos in the run-up to its release and sloppy is the only word to describe what I saw. Waiting long seconds for the random encounters to load, then having three characters appear on one side and three characters line up on another, then watching them take turns s-l-o-w-l-y attacking each other is just painful. And don't even get me started on the indifference with which the characters regard combat (as a massive monster charges towards them, people should be bracing or trying to dodge, not stretching and yawning).
Its a crying shame that Nautilus (who coded LO under the name Feelplus) has been reduced to coding unambitious games for Sakaguchi. Shadow Hearts 2 (which was interesting in that it was a direct sequel to SH1) was a superb game which played out a lot like FFX but whose combat was differentiated by the Judgement Wheel (which was implemented much better than it was in SH1). I don't think the FFX series coasts on its name (the designers change things up in the mainline games quite a bit) but the fact that FF7 popped the cherry of many modern rpg players is the only thing that that can explain the warm reception for the FF games and the relatively cold reception for all other jrpgs.
From a design standpoint, so much has happened since FFX (think FFX-2, Shadow Hearts 2, SMT: Nocturne, Persona 3 and FF12) that a game that is content to merely offered a stuck in molasses version of FFX's combat (minus the mid combat member swapping) doen't impress me in the slightest. But as I said in my opening paragraph, there are people for whom the gameplay/game design of rpgs is irrelevant... As a guy who cares about gameplay and game design, I am still waiting for a meaningful next-gen jrpg.
Careful with that, someone may take you for a "l33t" gamer.:P
I'd have to agree with this entirely. I cannot assign praise to something that is merely serviceable and contributes next to nothing to the genre. IMO, LO is simply outclassed by last gen RPGs.
Lost Odyssey is a very good game, but I certainly wouldn't call it the best JRPG in six years. Actually, I would list any number of games that rise above Lost Odyssey in terms of storytelling, gameplay, or both. I would say Jeanne d'Arc (if I am allowed to include tactical RPGs), Persona 3, FF Tactics: War of the Lions, FF XII, Rogue Galaxy, Nocturne, Dragon Quest VIII, the Xenosaga titles, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Eternal Sonata, Crisis Core, Tales of Symphonia, Disgaea, and a few others released in the last 5 years are superior to Lost Odyssey (and if you don't think tactical RPGs belong, just scratch them off the list).
Certainly no one is telling you you can't like a game. However, I think it's easy to like Lost Odyssey for looking so nice and being so old-school. There aren't many choices for current-gen console owners in the way of JRPGs, so in lieu of better options, it's easy to get involved with it. But when I look back on the time I have worked at GS, the JRPGs that stand above the others are Crisis Core and Persona 3. When I look at Lost Odyssey, I remember a great set of characters and interesting story development--along with fetch quests I didn't enjoy, frustrating puzzle sequences (including that god-awful one where you get sent back to the start of the mission if a security robot sees you), chuggy but pretty graphics, and average turn-based combat with a few twists that could have been taken even further.
When I put it next to another RPG--say, Crisis Core--the differences become obvious. Everything from cutscene camerawork (unexceptional in LO; spectacular in Crisis Core) to story pacing suffers. Great characters and solid-but-standard battles aren't enough to elevate Lost Odyssey to the top of the RPG heap. With luck, more JRPGs will be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 that will meet the standards set by the PlayStation 2's best RPGs in the previous generation. In the meanwhile, it's easy to fall in love with the few JRPGs coming out for current systems, but I strongly believe that we have yet to see the system-defining JRPGs on these systems. Actually, as far as I can tell, handhelds are gaining the upper hand and quietly becoming the systems to own if you want to play a solid Japanese RPG.
Lost Odyssey is a very good game, but I certainly wouldn't call it the best JRPG in six years. Actually, I would list any number of games that rise above Lost Odyssey in terms of storytelling, gameplay, or both. I would say Jeanne d'Arc (if I am allowed to include tactical RPGs), Persona 3, FF Tactics: War of the Lions, FF XII, Rogue Galaxy, Nocturne, Dragon Quest VIII, the Xenosaga titles, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Eternal Sonata, Crisis Core, Tales of Symphonia, Disgaea, and a few others released in the last 5 years are superior to Lost Odyssey (and if you don't think tactical RPGs belong, just scratch them off the list).Kevin-V
I wouldn't count tactical RPGs, Persona 3 had a bland randomized dungeon and iffy combat, I haven't played Crisis Core. But the rest of the games you listed? LMAO, flat out god awful videogames, with ToS being the worst offender of them all. Xenosaga was an overglorified barely playable anime, (and not even a good one) that paled in comparison to Xenogears. FF12 wasn't even an actiual Final Fantasy, it was Vagrant Story 2 using the FF name to get a cheap pop at retail. But hey, if flat as cardboard characters that never evolve, a bland game world, and the most non player particapatory combat in the history of the genre are your thing, more power to you. That you would put any of those digital abortions over LO really says all I need to know about how valid your opinions are on JRPGs. With all due respect, in the future, thats just another genre that I won't be able to use this site for reviews on anymore.
The last five plus years of JRPGs have been a waste land from FFX to LO, LO is a revival that reminds many of us why we used to love this genre. The games you listed are the ones that turned many of us away.
[QUOTE="Kevin-V"]Lost Odyssey is a very good game, but I certainly wouldn't call it the best JRPG in six years. Actually, I would list any number of games that rise above Lost Odyssey in terms of storytelling, gameplay, or both. I would say Jeanne d'Arc (if I am allowed to include tactical RPGs), Persona 3, FF Tactics: War of the Lions, FF XII, Rogue Galaxy, Nocturne, Dragon Quest VIII, the Xenosaga titles, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, Eternal Sonata, Crisis Core, Tales of Symphonia, Disgaea, and a few others released in the last 5 years are superior to Lost Odyssey (and if you don't think tactical RPGs belong, just scratch them off the list).VegetaJr
I wouldn't count tactical RPGs, Persona 3 had a bland randomized dungeon and iffy combat, I haven't played Crisis Core. But the rest of the games you listed? LMAO, flat out god awful videogames, with ToS being the worst offender of them all. Xenosaga was an overglorified barely playable anime, (and not even a good one) that paled in comparison to Xenogears. FF12 wasn't even an actiual Final Fantasy, it was Vagrant Story 2 using the FF name to get a cheap pop at retail. But hey, if flat as cardboard characters that never evolve, a bland game world, and the most non player particapatory combat in the history of the genre are your thing, more power to you. That you would put any of those digital abortions over LO really says all I need to know about how valid your opinions are on JRPGs. With all due respect, in the future, thats just another genre that I won't be able to use this site for reviews on anymore.
The last five plus years of JRPGs have been a waste land from FFX to LO, LO is a revival that reminds many of us why we used to love this genre. The games you listed are the ones that turned many of us away.
Your devotion to Sakaguchi is touching. Do you insist all of your games feature characters who are amnesiatic members of lost races? Your criticism of Persona 3 is so vague as to be meaningless (what was 'iffy' about Persona 3's combat?) and your criticism of FF12 demonstrates that you know nothing about it. One can micromanage FF12 much as one can in any jrpg if so inclined.
I doubt that anyone who clings to the delusion that LO isn't sewage can cite anything related to its gameplay or game design (you certainly didn't) to support their position. But like I said, fans of Lost Odyssey aren't the only nominal rpg fans who are indifferent to gameplay/game design.
[QUOTE="magicalclick"]That's not really fair cuz a lot of Elder Scroll's fan like Morrowind over Oblivion. LOL
VegetaJr
Thats because Oblivion is watered down mainstream garbage that got a free pass from sites like this one for having shiny graphics.
Oblivion was far from perfect, but so was Morrowind. And Oblivion's combat system was miles better than that of Morrowind, which is important because like in most rpgs, one spends a lot of time kicking butt. I really wanted to enjoy Morrowind, but the lack of any sort of indicator about how a fight was progressing (enemies didn't react to blows, so one had no way of knowing if one was even damaging a foe until they fell dead at your feet) eventually killed the game for me (I speak of the Xbox version).
[QUOTE="VegetaJr"][QUOTE="magicalclick"]That's not really fair cuz a lot of Elder Scroll's fan like Morrowind over Oblivion. LOL
CarnageHeart
Thats because Oblivion is watered down mainstream garbage that got a free pass from sites like this one for having shiny graphics.
Oblivion was far from perfect, but so was Morrowind. And Oblivion's combat system was miles better than that of Morrowind, which is important because like in most rpgs, one spends a lot of time kicking butt. I really wanted to enjoy Morrowind, but the lack of any sort of indicator about how a fight was progressing (enemies didn't react to blows, so one had no way of knowing if one was even damaging
a foe until they fell dead at your feet) eventually killed the game for me (I speak of the Xbox version).
I agree I and I own both games, but for some reason I couldn't force myself to spend more than a handful of hours playing Morrowind...After I played Oblivion, it just felt well boring. It is just that simple.
[QUOTE="CarnageHeart"][QUOTE="VegetaJr"][QUOTE="magicalclick"]That's not really fair cuz a lot of Elder Scroll's fan like Morrowind over Oblivion. LOL
HiResDes
Thats because Oblivion is watered down mainstream garbage that got a free pass from sites like this one for having shiny graphics.
Oblivion was far from perfect, but so was Morrowind. And Oblivion's combat system was miles better than that of Morrowind, which is important because like in most rpgs, one spends a lot of time kicking butt. I really wanted to enjoy Morrowind, but the lack of any sort of indicator about how a fight was progressing (enemies didn't react to blows, so one had no way of knowing if one was even damaging
a foe until they fell dead at your feet) eventually killed the game for me (I speak of the Xbox version).
I agree I and I own both games, but for some reason I couldn't force myself to spend more than a handful of hours playing Morrowind...After I played Oblivion, it just felt well boring. It is just that simple.
They are both great games. Morrowind is a slower game than Oblivion, so it's going to seem worse if played after Oblivion. However, the leveling and the exploration of Morrowind more than make up for it's combat shortcomings. I can only hope the next game blends to two games better.
I really enjoyed LO up through about midway through disk 3, and started to lose interest from there to the end. I'm glad I played the game and I had fun with it, but I'd never play through it again. Most of the sidequests I finished with the thought of "thank God I don't have to go back there" (Temple of Enlightenment.)
I was really hoping it was going to end differently than it did, and that's probably why I kept plowing through. The problem is aside from Seth, Sed, Tolten, and Jansen none of the characters were really all that interesting. Gongora was just a generic villian that I ended up not caring about.
The fact that the New Game+ was a complete joke didn't help the replayability either. In contrast when I finished Mass Effect I was so pumped for another playthrough (not even because of a new character, new game+, or switching paragon/renegade), it was just such an amazing ride as far as storylines went and I was compelled to board it again.
I think judging by these responses it seems like LO isn't a bad RPG, it's just not the ultimate next-gen RPG that we as RPG fans are wanting to play.
I haven't played it so I can't really give a verdict on how I feel about it. But just from impressions, reviews, videos, and previews, I think I can say with certain that it won't top some of my last-gen favorites like Dragon Quest VIII, FFXII, and Suikoden III or some of my all-time favorites like Suikoden II, Chrono Cross, and FFVI.
Also to be fair, I think LO got some undeserved criticism because it was Sakaguchi's next-offering. Final Fantasy is so much to live up to.
I really enjoyed LO up through about midway through disk 3, and started to lose interest from there to the end. I'm glad I played the game and I had fun with it, but I'd never play through it again. Most of the sidequests I finished with the thought of "thank God I don't have to go back there" (Temple of Enlightenment.)
I was really hoping it was going to end differently than it did, and that's probably why I kept plowing through. The problem is aside from Seth, Sed, Tolten, and Jansen none of the characters were really all that interesting. Gongora was just a generic villian that I ended up not caring about.
The fact that the New Game+ was a complete joke didn't help the replayability either. In contrast when I finished Mass Effect I was so pumped for another playthrough (not even because of a new character, new game+, or switching paragon/renegade), it was just such an amazing ride as far as storylines went and I was compelled to board it again.
Emiger
Even after reading all of those dream sequences, you found Kaim uninteresting?
I also thought the dream sequences really helped make the player despise Gongora.
Okay, I haven't played Lost Odysey, but I've seen and heard enough of it to make a somewhat educated comment on the game.
No, the game does not radically change the Final Fantasy formula. It doesn't try to.
It's just a standard RPG similar to a Final Fantasy game that does a few things differently but doesn't try to reinvent the genre. Whether or not that's what you want is up to you.
If Lost Odyssey isn't your thing, Kevin provided a very good list of other JRPGs that you might like.
[QUOTE="Emiger"]Bunch of crap.
TheCrazed420
Even after reading all of those dream sequences, you found Kaim uninteresting?
I also thought the dream sequences really helped make the player despise Gongora.
Yeah it explained his present day attitude well, but it didn't do anything beyond that. Like I said, disk 1 and 2 I was really into it. Gongora actually seemed really interesting and unique, Kaim had a lot of potential, but by the time the game started wrapping up they just fell into these typical RPG roles and it got less exciting. They're not horrible characters, they're just not special, at least to me.
I will admit though, I thought they balanced the humor and drama so well in the game. Some of Jansen's comments kind of ruined certain scenes, but most of the time he said some truly great things that actually made me chuckle a bit. I really wish more games had that type of attitude and balance in the storytelling.
I wouldn't count tactical RPGs, Persona 3 had a bland randomized dungeon and iffy combat, I haven't played Crisis Core. But the rest of the games you listed? LMAO, flat out god awful videogames, with ToS being the worst offender of them all. Xenosaga was an overglorified barely playable anime, (and not even a good one) that paled in comparison to Xenogears. FF12 wasn't even an actiual Final Fantasy, it was Vagrant Story 2 using the FF name to get a cheap pop at retail. But hey, if flat as cardboard characters that never evolve, a bland game world, and the most non player particapatory combat in the history of the genre are your thing, more power to you. That you would put any of those digital abortions over LO really says all I need to know about how valid your opinions are on JRPGs. With all due respect, in the future, thats just another genre that I won't be able to use this site for reviews on anymore.The last five plus years of JRPGs have been a waste land from FFX to LO, LO is a revival that reminds many of us why we used to love this genre. The games you listed are the ones that turned many of us away.
VegetaJr
Persona 3 is a digital abortion? Xenosaga was barely playable? Tales of Symphonia the worst game of all? I am nor sure at all how to respond to those comments. To suggest that Dragon Quest VIII is "flat-out awful" says a lot about your tastes. I feel quite secure in my statement. I respect that you have such a narrow comfort zone, and that Lost Odyssey fulfills your needs. However, the manner in which you completely dismiss a selection of quality games (most of which were quite critically acclaimed; it isn't as though I am some lone bastion of bad taste) saddens me. Calling fantastic games like Persona 3 and Nocturne "garbage" is simply misleading. I don't think our reviews of JRPGs are based on unfathomable criteria, or indicative of poor taste; rather, I think your tastes in JRPGs are so specific that mainstream sites are unlikely to tell you what you wish to hear.
Ultimately, JRPG fans have strong feelings about the games they like. A statement to the contrary generally results in posts like that one. That is, a flip dismissal of those that feel differently, generally with a snide comment about the other person's poor taste and the pronouncement that the games another enjoys are garbage. I would rather hear something specific. Tell me why you feel Lost Odyssey is so good. Comment about Persona 3's battle mechanics. Help me understand how you can criticize one game for not allowing enough player input during combat, when you praise other games that feature less player input. Cohesive thoughts help us have a dialogue. Personal insults and vague "that game is garbage" statements don't give your statements credence, they just come across as baseless and elitist rants.
In other words, I want to know specifics. "I like it more and your tastes suck" isn't an argument, it's just an attack.
I enjoyed the "typical RPG roles"... As was said, JRPGs in the last years tried so hard not to present jrpg archetypes, it felt refreshing to me, playing as the moody amnesia mostly-silent darkish hero again, after so many years.
Kaim is basically a 1000 year old version of squall. Which is great, if you ask me.
All I'll say is this: I was turned off jrpgs pretty much prior to playing Lost Odyssey, and now I'm back in the fold. I think it's easily the best jrpg of the generation, and quite possibly the best since Final Fantasy X. I don't put DQ VIII in the same light because I found the artstyle boring (I know Toriyama, blah, blah, blah.... I didn't buy Blue Dragon because of it partly) and the random encounters and grinding absolutely mind-numbing.
What really killed jrpgs for me in the last few years was that they didn't respect my time. I play a LOT of games, and as I get older, the amount of time I can spend on them is getting less. For a genre to make save points that are HOURS between and slam me over the head with battles every time I take a step and actually REQUIRE me to keep doing it over and over again just isn't for me anymore.
Lost Odyssey made important tweaks in encounter rate and levelling, and it was a breath of fresh air. Sakaguchi still needs to get better about making more save points, though, although it is nowhere near the problem it was in past jrpgs. As for the bickering between editor and poster, you guys both have opinions. Neither one is right, neither is wrong. I tend to agree with the poster in this case regarding Lost Odyssey -- I think reviewers really messed up on this one. But again, either side is just an opinion. There's no way to make it factually correct or incorrect. But I do use previous opinions on games as barometers for who I trust. I bought Crisis Core based on a few reviews, and that's the last time I'll make that mistake. How a reviewer can ding Lost Odyssey for being old school, and praise Crisis Core when it's nothing more than a Kingdom Hearts knock-off with random summons and limit breaks is completely beyond me. I also don't understand how anyone could score Eternal Sonata higher than Lost Odyssey. I was hyped for ES, but the actual game was shallow, the battle system was skinny, and all the fights were repeats of previous fights. But then again -- opinions. :)
I've spent a hundred hours with Lost Odyssey, and that's the first time I've done so with a jrpg in years. I can't really give it a better recommendation than that. I'm now hyped for both jrpgs and western stuff. I can't wait to see what the Gooch does next, just like I can't wait to see what Bethesda has up their sleeves for the next Elder Scrolls game (and Fallout 3 is looking awesome, too). Life is good.
^ To add to what Shameus said:
For once, in a long while, I am eager to continue playing a RPG. I am on my third disk and have clocked in over 40 hours and I am dreading going onto the fourth disk. The reason behind that is because once the fourth disk is in then that means I am on the final stretch of the journey with Kaim and the rest of the crew and I really don't want this game to end.
I'll be honest, it's very hard to pinpoint why I find this game so much more engaging than others that have come out prior to it like Eternal Sonata or Persona 3. What has really made me find appreciation for Lost Odyssey is the pacing and the unique ways of delivering it's storyline from cut scenes to animated text with an ambient background and well placed sound effects.
I also find the way that the random encounters, something of which I have grown to despise previously, has been tweaked in such a way that it actually makes me eager to fight. Along with a leveling system that basically continuously rewards you by either leveling up or learning abilities, Lost Odyssey has made traditional RPG elements comes across as refreshing. That is something a game has not done for me and in some weird warped way I find that aspect innovating in and of itself.
^ To add to what Shameus said:
For once, in a long while, I am eager to continue playing a RPG. I am on my third disk and have clocked in over 40 hours and I am dreading going onto the fourth disk. The reason behind that is because once the fourth disk is in then that means I am on the final stretch of the journey with Kaim and the rest of the crew and I really don't want this game to end.
I'll be honest, it's very hard to pinpoint why I find this game so much more engaging than others that have come out prior to it like Eternal Sonata or Persona 3. What has really made me find appreciation for Lost Odyssey is the pacing and the unique ways of delivering it's storyline from cut scenes to animated text with an ambient background and well placed sound effects.
I also find the way that the random encounters, something of which I have grown to despise previously, has been tweaked in such a way that it actually makes me eager to fight. Along with a leveling system that basically continuously rewards you by either leveling up or learning abilities, Lost Odyssey has made traditional RPG elements comes across as refreshing. That is something a game has not done for me and in some weird warped way I find that aspect innovating in and of itself.
juradai
That was a huge, totally unexpected surprise for me. The jrpg genre has become rife with zipper-clad heroes and spiky hair more than poignant storytelling. At the risk of sounding like a total tool (something that is easy enough for me to do), I found LO's utilitarian but deftly created 1,000 Year Memories stories awesome. It almost (not quite, but almost) felt like they were a backhand to the genre, a slap across the jowls to all the CG work that typifies the genre's means of telling a story. I never expected a written story to have such a huge hit on me. I remember almost every story from Kaim's dreams vividly, from the horrible end of the butcher to The Upstreamers.
In this sense, LO completely redefined storytelling in jrpgs, and it did so in a way that was very David and Goliath. It was the written word versus mega-budget CG (even LO's own) and it totally ended up killing it by telling short stories that I simply couldn't wait to read. LO is very much the Twain pocket serial of its time in that way.
Also, just a note. My feelings about reviews for this game applied to pretty much the entire press, not just Gamespot. Same with Eternal Sonata.
That was a huge, totally unexpected surprise for me. The jrpg genre has become rife with zipper-clad heroes and spiky hair more than poignant storytelling. At the risk of sounding like a total tool (something that is easy enough for me to do), I found LO's utilitarian but deftly created 1,000 Year Memories stories awesome. It almost (not quite, but almost) felt like they were a backhand to the genre, a slap across the jowls to all the CG work that typifies the genre's means of telling a story. I never expected a written story to have such a huge hit on me. I remember almost every story from Kaim's dreams vividly, from the horrible end of the butcher to The Upstreamers.
In this sense, LO completely redefined storytelling in jrpgs, and it did so in a way that was very David and Goliath. It was the written word versus mega-budget CG (even LO's own) and it totally ended up killing it by telling short stories that I simply couldn't wait to read. LO is very much the Twain pocket serial of its time in that way.
Also, just a note. My feelings about reviews for this game applied to pretty much the entire press, not just Gamespot. Same with Eternal Sonata.
Shame-usBlackley
Kaim's memories and how it was delivered to us as an audience really contributed to what drew me in the game. It added more depth and emotion than I have felt in a long while in regards to video games. it also really rounded out Kaim as human being and not just some super hero. Being able to experience his memories enabled me to understand why his demeanor came across as passive yet insightful or better yet he seemed always... introspective.
I don't get into characters like that in video games. I don't try to really diagnose a character I am playing or understand why his attitude is the way it is. The reason behind that is because I have never had presentation delivered to me up until now the way it was in Lost Odyssey. The animated text based stories basically layed out a bridge to fill that chasm between the separation that cut scenes create and the immersion we all experience when we are interacting with our character.
it was brilliantly implemented in my opinion.
I haven't enjoyed a RPG this much since Final Fantasy X. I hope they make a sequel.
blackice005
It's good, but not that good. I think you need to play more RPG's that came out the last 6 years. I thought Mass Effect, Digital Devil saga and Final Fantasy XII were better for a start.
But then this is all down to personal opinion.
That's a pretty broad and bold statement to make. Personally I'd say Lost Odyssey is a great game, an 8.5 give or take out of 10 in my book, but it does have a few technical issues to work out, and certainly doesn't break new ground at all in any regard of its story, gameplay, or what have you.
I'd personally put FFXII, Mass Effect, Paper Mario TYD and such over it (at least those have been released in the past 6 years)
That's a pretty broad and bold statement to make. Personally I'd say Lost Odyssey is a great game, an 8.5 give or take out of 10 in my book, but it does have a few technical issues to work out, and certainly doesn't break new ground at all in any regard of its story, gameplay, or what have you.
I'd personally put FFXII, Mass Effect, Paper Mario TYD and such over it (at least those have been released in the past 6 years)
SemiMaster
Does. Not. Compute.
I always said and will continue to do so: Voice Acting, although inevitable, killed a bit of the soul of JRPGs.
VA killed long, long dialogue sequences; whereas a Cloud or a Fei Wong had thousands of lines and long monologues to flesh out their characters and story, VA reduced this to a minimum, with characters exchanging one-liners and condensed dialogues that will seldomly go on longer than 5 minutes. I realize that VA can bring a whole new dimension of emotion and cinematic flair to a game, but it also breaks the game apart in "Playing/Fighting" and "Watching Cutscenes". The PSX FFs had storytelling sequences that went on for 30, 40 Minutes without you realizing it, because it gave the illusion of interactivity: Be it just you clicking away the text in your own time, or walking a few steps between dialoges to get items, or look for other things.
Also, it offered the possibility to tell what the characters are thinking without them saying it. An underestimated storytelling device.
There wasn't such a hard "transition" between "You are buying things and beating a dungeon" and "You are now watching the story unfold in cutscenes" in the older JRPGs; they were much, much more like an interactive book with characters, though represented by avatars and simple animations, that were really coming to live in your mind.
What makes A Thousand Years of Dreams so immensely great to some of us gamers is, I think, that they are a reminiscence of how we were used to experiencing our jrpg protagonists.
I haven't played Lost Odyssey (and I have no desire to) but I reckon that The Elder Scrolls IV wipes the floor with it. ColdRush88Surely you have nothing to base that judgment on as you haven't played LO....
I haven't played Lost Odyssey (and I have no desire to) but I reckon that The Elder Scrolls IV wipes the floor with it. ColdRush88
In exploration, yes. Story, no. LO's storytelling makes Oblivion look silly.
[QUOTE="SemiMaster"]That's a pretty broad and bold statement to make. Personally I'd say Lost Odyssey is a great game, an 8.5 give or take out of 10 in my book, but it does have a few technical issues to work out, and certainly doesn't break new ground at all in any regard of its story, gameplay, or what have you.
I'd personally put FFXII, Mass Effect, Paper Mario TYD and such over it (at least those have been released in the past 6 years)
Shame-usBlackley
Does. Not. Compute.
I'm saying Lost Odyssey has technical issues, but overall, with the technical issues as well, Mass Effect was better. Just saying why LO doesn't deserve a perfect, nor the best RPG in years, when a game with clear technical issues as well is better (in my opinion). But then again everyone's a hater.
[QUOTE="Shame-usBlackley"][QUOTE="SemiMaster"]That's a pretty broad and bold statement to make. Personally I'd say Lost Odyssey is a great game, an 8.5 give or take out of 10 in my book, but it does have a few technical issues to work out, and certainly doesn't break new ground at all in any regard of its story, gameplay, or what have you.
I'd personally put FFXII, Mass Effect, Paper Mario TYD and such over it (at least those have been released in the past 6 years)
SemiMaster
Does. Not. Compute.
I'm saying Lost Odyssey has technical issues, but overall, with the technical issues as well, Mass Effect was better. Just saying why LO doesn't deserve a perfect, nor the best RPG in years, when a game with clear technical issues as well is better (in my opinion). But then again everyone's a hater.
They're two completely different kinds of games, but the technical issues between the two aren't even on the same planet. Lost Odyssey has a few hiccups in framerate, while Mass Effect is at best framey, and at worst framey with horrendous texture pop in. Mass Effect's texture pop puts it in "broken" or "unfinished" territory, while LO's got none of that. And Mass Effect is no slouch at keeping the player staring at loading screens, either -- I remember being really annoyed about halfway through about having to take the elevator down to the lower level of the Normandy to see the requisitions officer or my other characters, who mysteriously dwelled in the gut of the ship away from everyone else at all times like reclusive anti-socials. I look at the technical differences as "occasionally unstable framerate" in LO's case, and "completely unfinished in a number of categories and poorly thought out in others" in Mass Effect's.
And really, Mass Effect didn't break new ground either. It was a shorter version of KOTOR without the Star Wars license and lightsabers, more technical issues, and one of the worst inventory systems in recent memory. I'm to think if there was anything worthwhile in Mass Effect that hadn't already been done in KOTOR, and I'm coming up blank. What WAS new was pretty poorly implemented, from spacefaring to planet exploration.
My take is that Mass Effect had an awesome story and some of the best character and ship design in years, but as a game it was merely passable. Could've been something really special, though.
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